Care Instructions to Improve Meyer Lemon Trees

Grow your own fresh crop of lemon trees at home.

The Meyer lemon tree was first brought to the United States in the early 1900s from China and thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9A through 11. This variety of lemon is prized for its hardy, quick-growing nature and its juicy fruits, which aren't as acidic or sour as traditional lemons. If you're growing Meyer lemon trees at home, proper care will create the optimal growing conditions for the healthiest trees and biggest fruit harvest.

Irrigate Properly

Giving a fruit tree too much water is the top reason most backyard fruit trees die. On the flip side, providing your Meyer lemon tree with too little irrigation can provoke heat stress, leaf drop, failure to produce flowers and other major problems. For improved health, strike the right balance. At the time of planting, make a shallow water basin around the Meyer lemon tree by creating a wall of dirt that's 3 to 4 inches high and creates a 2-foot-wide circle around the tree. Every three to four days, fill this basin with water. Two weeks after planting, reduce watering and fill the basin just once every 10 days. After a couple of months, the Meyer lemon tree is fully rooted and established and only needs watering once every two weeks.

Fertilize Often

To improve blossom growth and fruit production, Meyer lemon trees require regular fertilization starting as soon as the tree starts to produce new growth in the spring and stopping once the tree has finished producing fruit. In the first year after planting, use 0.4 pounds of 6-6-6 fertilizer, split into six equally spaced apart applications. In its second year, use a pound of fertilizer divided into five equal applications. In the third year, use 1.9 pounds of fertilizer split into four equal applications. In the fourth year, use 4.4 pounds in three applications, then use 6.1 pounds split into three equal applications in the fifth year and every year thereafter.

Protect Against Pests

Pests, such as aphids and leaf borers, attack Meyer lemon trees and cause plant stress and other problems that can weaken the tree and reduce fruit yields. Proactively defend against pests starting in the spring when citrus pest activity typically commences. Practice good sanitation by constantly picking up fallen lemon fruit and by keeping your garden free of weeds, as these two factors often attract pests. If you notice pests, a standard horticultural oil spray or insecticidal soap spray can safely and naturally eradicate most common insects.

Guard Against Disease

Common citrus diseases, such as brown rot and bacterial cankers, start to appear in the spring. Regular inspects every week can help you tackle such problems before they get out of control. A standard fungicide spray made with a 50 percent concentrate of fixed copper, available in most garden stores and nurseries, will cure almost all common fruit tree diseases.